Abstract

The choice of two of the three Lewis structures appears reasonable in the light of the rule, expressed by many authors, that stable electronic structures tend to leave atoms neutral or with small charges on assigning electrons to nuclei by splitting shared electron pairs. The central nitrogen atom in all three structures is N+, this being required in order for it to form four covalent bonds. The first two structures, N -N +0 and N N+O-, involve only single charges, and are essentially equivalent, contributing equally to the normal state, while the third, N--N+O+, with a doubly-charged ion at one end, and two positive ions in juxtaposition, is less stable, and is not appreciably involved in the normal molecule.